Exploring AI Avatars for Training:

This week, I looked into creative ways to refresh our training content. Over the past five years, we’ve accumulated numerous Zoom recordings covering various aspects of venture capital, featuring a diverse range of speakers. However, the recordings often have the typical Zoom aesthetic, with different home backgrounds and inconsistent formats—many videos lack the professional polish we’d like for an evergreen library of venture education.

I experimented with Quicktime, D-ID, Pictory, and Canva to create a mockup of an AI avatar providing an overview of the role of venture capitalists. The mockup took less than an hour to complete. While this was just a quick attempt, I’m excited by the possibilities AI offers for creating more engaging and visually appealing educational experiences. See the results here.

Finalizing Our Fund Thesis:

Chelsea and I made significant progress on our new fund thesis, and we’re feeling increasingly confident about its direction. Our next step is pitching it to potential funders and gathering feedback. One of the key questions we’re exploring is what types of funders align with our thesis. Will it resonate with impact investors? Will HBCU alumni see this as a meaningful opportunity for venture philanthropy?

Here’s a summary of our current thesis:

Investing in HBCU Champions Building High-Impact Companies

The HBCUvc Fund is dedicated to supporting high-growth companies across sectors like climate, clean energy, and healthcare, which have the potential for lasting societal and economic impact. Our focus is on founders who not only build impactful businesses but also intentionally recruit and develop talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We believe these companies can become incubators for future entrepreneurs, creating wealth and opportunities that uplift Black communities and HBCUs.

We plan to use philanthropic capital for equity-based investments that generate financial returns while driving social change. All returns will be reinvested into the fund to sustain our mission and HBCUvc’s nonprofit operations. This approach enables us to foster systemic change over the long term.

Our investor base will likely include HBCU alumni and mission-aligned individuals who are passionate about advancing regenerative wealth-building strategies in Black communities. We are also exploring ways to allocate a portion of profits or an equity stake to HBCU endowments, further reinforcing our commitment to HBCUs.

Personal:

This week, I found myself feeling under the weather, and by Thursday and Friday, I had to cancel most of my calls and rest. However, earlier in the week, I was able to meet my movement goals. During my downtime, I watched a documentary on Netflix called A World Not Ours. It tells the story of a family living in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, spanning multiple generations. Told through home video recordings, the documentary connects a humanity thread to its viewers, showcasing that we all have memories and dreams.

This Week’s Meditation:

“…With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” – Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

Editing this blog post to acknowledge that it was published on October 7, 2024, marking the one-year anniversary of the tragic Hamas attacks. Many innocent lives were lost that day, and since then, even more lives have been claimed by ongoing violence. Prior to October 7, many people and families had already been living without basic human rights, and that continues today. I don’t raise any flag as a solution, for these flags are symbols made by human hands. But I will always advocate for the afflicted and oppressed. May justice and peace find us all soon.